Georgia’s Pre-K Program Content Standards

Georgia¡¯s Pre-K Program

Content Standards

CONTENTS

Introduction

Introduction .................................................................................. 4

Acknowledgements ....................................................................... 5

History of Georgia¡¯s Pre-k ............................................................. 6

School Readiness Definition ......................................................... 8

Kindergarten Readiness .................................................................10

Kindergarten Transition Activities ................................................11

Books for Kindergarten Transition ...............................................12

Inclusion Overview ........................................................................13

English Language Learners ...........................................................14

Language and Literacy Development (LD)

Introduction and Inclusion Techniques .......................................15

Listening ........................................................................................16

Phonological Awareness ................................................................17

Vocabulary Development ..............................................................17

Expressive Language .....................................................................18

Reading ...........................................................................................19

Writing ...........................................................................................20

Home and Family Connections ....................................................21

Teacher Resources .........................................................................22

Suggested Children¡¯s Books ..........................................................23

Mathematics Development (MD)

Introduction and Inclusion Techniques .......................................24

Numbers ........................................................................................25

Patterns ..........................................................................................26

Sorting and Classifying .................................................................26

Geometry .......................................................................................27

Measurement .................................................................................28

Home and Family Connections ....................................................30

Teacher Resources .........................................................................31

Suggested Children¡¯s Books ..........................................................32

Science Development (SD)

Introduction and Inclusion Techniques .......................................33

Exploration ....................................................................................34

Life Science ....................................................................................34

Physical Science .............................................................................35

Earth Science .................................................................................35

Home and Family Connections ....................................................36

Teacher Resources .........................................................................37

Suggested Children¡¯s Books ..........................................................38

2

Social Studies Development (SS)

Introduction and Inclusion Techniques .......................................39

Families and Community ..............................................................40

Respect for Differences .................................................................40

Geographical Thinking ..................................................................41

Home and Family Connections ....................................................42

Teacher Resources .........................................................................43

Suggested Children¡¯s Books ..........................................................44

Creative Development (CD)

Introduction and Inclusion Techniques .......................................45

Artistic Expression ........................................................................46

Music and Movement ....................................................................46

Drama ............................................................................................47

Home and Family Connections ....................................................48

Teacher Resources .........................................................................49

Suggested Children¡¯s Books ..........................................................50

Social and Emotional Development (SE)

Introduction and Inclusion Techniques ............................ 51

Self-Awareness .................................................................... 52

Curiosity, Initiative, Self-Direction, Persistence ............... 53

Self-Control ......................................................................... 53

Interpersonal and Social Skills ........................................... 53

Home and Family Connections .......................................... 54

Teacher Resources .............................................................. 55

Suggested Children¡¯s Books ................................................ 56

Health and Physical Development (HPD)

Introduction and Inclusion Techniques ............................ 57

Gross Motor ......................................................................... 58

Fine Motor ........................................................................... 58

Health and Safety ................................................................ 58

Home and Family Connections .......................................... 59

Teacher Resources .............................................................. 60

Suggested Children¡¯s Books ................................................ 61

3

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the 2012-2013 edition of Georgia¡¯s Pre-K Program Content Standards, which provide the

foundation for instruction in all Georgia¡¯s Pre-K classrooms. The Pre-K Content Standards were last revised

in March 2009 and are currently being reviewed again this school year.

This edition of the Content Standards includes:

Correlations with Kindergarten Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (KCCGPS)*

Strategies to support inclusive classrooms

¡°Learning in Action¡± suggestions for classroom practice

Professional resources for each curriculum domain

Lists of high quality children¡¯s literature for each curriculum domain

Tips to support family involvement in the child¡¯s education

With the Kindergarten Common Core Georgia Performance Standard (KCCGPS) correlations, it is clear how

what is taught in Pre-K lays the foundation for expectations in Kindergarten. Each Pre-K Content Standard

has been matched to an appropriate KCCGPS. In some cases a Pre-K Content Standard will match several

Kindergarten standards; however, there is not always a corresponding Kindergarten standard for every PreK Content Standard. Keep in mind that the Pre-K Content Standards and the Kindergarten performance

standards reflect what children should know at the end of the Pre-K or end of the Kindergarten year

¨C not at the beginning. Seeing how these standards relate is helpful to Pre-K teachers, Kindergarten

teachers and parents ¨C all of whom have a part in making children successful in the early years.

The section on strategies to support inclusive classrooms will help individualize instruction to meet the

needs of all of the students in your classroom. The ¡°Learning in Action¡± section of the Content Standards

provides examples of appropriate and active activities to build assist in building these skills. The

professional resources and children¡¯s literature for each domain will assist in planning quality instruction.

Family involvement and support, covered in the Home and Family Connection tips, are important to a

child¡¯s academic success, so each learning domain includes ideas for strengthening the connection between

home and school.

The Content Standards are used for planning instruction, assessing growth and development, and sharing

information with families. These standards are important for a number of reasons; the most important are:

1. Because Pre-K children learn and develop at varying rates, instruction must be planned to meet each

child¡¯s individual needs; 2. Pre-K children learn best with a balance of teacher-directed and child-initiated

activities that encourage thinking, reasoning and communication; 3. Pre-K children need movement, handson activities, lots of language, and a supportive environment.

National research shows that Pre-K programs with effective teaching practices and a challenging and

appropriate curriculum enhance children¡¯s intellectual, physical, and emotional development. Bright from

the Start hopes that these standards will help Pre-K programs exceed expectations in all program areas. For

questions concerning these standards, contact Bright from the Start (404) 656-5957, your Pre-K Consultant,

or visit the Bright from the Start website at decal..

* The Kindergarten Common Core Georgia Performance Standards for English Language Arts and Math

were approved by the Georgia Department of Education in 2011. In Kindergarten the domains of Science,

Social Studies, Health and Physical Development, Social and Emotional Development and Creative

Expression are covered under the Georgia Kindergarten Performance Standards or the Georgia Quality Core

Curriculum Standards. For more information on the Kindergarten Common Core Georgia Performance

Standards visit the Georgia Department of Education website at doe.k12.ga.us.

4

Georgia¡¯s Pre-K Program

Georgia's Pre-K Program was established in 1993 through the Georgia Lottery for Education to provide

Georgia's four-year-old children with high-quality preschool experiences. The goal of every Georgia¡¯s Pre-K

classroom is to provide Pre-K students with the learning experiences they need to prepare for Kindergarten.

History of Georgia¡¯s Pre-K Program

The Pre-K Program began as a pilot program serving 750 at-risk four-year-old children and their families at 20

sites in 1992. The first lottery funds were utilized in 1993-94 to provide prekindergarten programs for more than

8,700 at-risk four-year-old children. In September 1995 the program was opened to all eligible four-year-old

children, not just at-risk families. The program tripled its enrollment from 15,500 children in 1994-95 to 44,000

slots during the 1995-1996 school year. During this time the private sector became an integral part of the

program, allowing the program to expand quickly without utilizing funds for capital outlay on new buildings or

expansion facilities. A public/private partnership of this magnitude was a first in Georgia and the nation.

Enrollment in Georgia¡¯s Pre-K program has continued to expand yearly with 84,000 students currently being

served this year. Over one million students have participated in Georgia¡¯s Pre-K program since 1993. This year

will mark the 20th year of serving children in Georgia¡¯s Pre-K Programs across the state.

Pre-K Program Components

A national survey of public Kindergarten teachers noted three primary essentials for school readiness: children

are physically healthy, rested, and well nourished; they are able to communicate needs, wants, and thoughts

verbally; and they are enthusiastic and curious in approaching new activities. Georgia's

Pre-K Program provides children with experiences that foster all these essentials.

An appropriate program for four-year-olds is not a watered down Kindergarten program. Children learn

through play and learning centers, which are integral parts of Pre-K classrooms. Pre-K programs reflect an

understanding of how children learn by emphasizing active learning, consistent daily routines, and the use of

positive behavioral management and assessment strategies. The school readiness goals of the

Pre-K program provide appropriate preschool experiences emphasizing growth in language and literacy, math

concepts, science, social studies, arts, health and physical development, and social and emotional competence.

Health Services

To ensure a healthy start, all children enrolled in the Pre-K program must have hearing, vision, and dental

examination certificates on file within 90 days of starting the Pre-K program. Also, evidence of age-appropriate

immunizations must be on file within 30 days of the start of the Pre-K program. At the end of the school year,

parents are provided with comprehensive information on all health and entrance documentation necessary for

successful entry into Kindergarten.

Parents as First Teachers

Parents are encouraged to volunteer in the Pre-K classroom and to participate in meetings, parent group

activities, or workshops. At least two individual conferences per year between the lead teacher and family must

be offered by providers and documented in each child's on-site file.

The Pre-K program strongly encourages parents to read to their children on a daily basis. To foster this habit at

the beginning of each school year, children in the program are provided with a special edition of a book selected

by and including a personalized message from the Governor of Georgia.

Quality Outcomes

Research continues to substantiate the positive impact that high quality preschool programs have on young

children. A recent evaluation of a similar program in Oklahoma demonstrated that participation in a high

quality program can be a stronger predictor of a child¡¯s pre-reading and pre-math skills than certain family

characteristics. A similar evaluation of Georgia¡¯s Pre-K Program conducted from 2001-2004 by Georgia

State University found that children who attended Georgia¡¯s Pre-K had larger gains than their same-aged

peers who did not attend the program. Furthermore, they were rated higher in academic and social skill

ratings by their Kindergarten teachers than other children.

5

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download